Norwalk police cite brothers during road rage complaint

Two local brothers were charged after police responded to the report of a suspected road-rage incident Thursday.

The Norwalk Police Department received a complaint about possible road rage at 4 p.m. Capt. Dave Smith responded along with Officers Larry Noftz and Jonathan Craybill.

After a brief investigation, the driver, Justin J. Wikel, 27, of 3795 Medusa Road, was charged with reckless operation and driving with a suspended license in connection with an incident that happened on Cleveland Road between Old State Road and Main Street. According to the report, nobody was injured.

"This Joshua Wikel claimed he was driving the vehicle to keep his brother from getting in trouble for driving with a suspended license. They both got into trouble for going along with the story," Capt. Mike Conney said.

Justin Wikel's charge of reckless operation comes from passing on a double yellow line and slamming on his brakes to get another vehicle to stop, Conney said.

"In the other vehicle were his children with their grandparents. He felt they shouldn't have custody of them," he added.

Wikel, on Nov. 4, was placed on two years of probation for a license forfeiture through Norwalk Municipal Court. Judge Eric Weisenburger suspended his license for six months and fined him $250, according to court records. Wikel had 40 days of a 60-day jail sentence suspended.

After Thursday's incident, police referred everyone to the Huron County Sheriff's Office since the original incident -- a child custody dispute -- happened in the county.

On Thursday -- the same day of the Cleveland Road incident, Wikel accused some "non-custodial subjects" of illegally taking his children from his residence, according a deputy's report.

Deputies interviewed everyone involved and took some statements, which were forwarded to the Norwalk Law Director's Office. They released the children to their father for the time being.